Date: 09/16/2007

Number: 1

Just returned from a week on Mt. Desert Island, Maine. Monarchs in good numbers were seen migrating every day from Sept 15-21. On Sunday Sept 16, with a north wind, monarchs by the hundreds were dropping from the sky at the southern tip of the island at Bass Harbor Head Light (44 degrees 13.3' N, 68 degrees 20.3' W). They were nectaring in a small meadow on the hillside above the lighthouse. Prime nectar sources were seaside goldenrod, Rand's goldenrod, and 2 other unidentified goldenrod species, red clover, calico aster,and purple-stemmed aster. Each plant supported dozens of monarchs. Around 5PM monarchs perched on spruce trees to bask. I'm sure there was a roost that night somewhere in the spruces. On Sept 20, north of Mt. Desert Island at Petit Manan NWR, monarchs were seen migrating against a southwest wind, hugging the rocky coastline and stopping to nectar on asters and goldenrods growing in rock crevices. Winds were from the south for the remainder of the week, but monarchs continued with powered flight, pushing onward against the wind.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Mt. Desert Island, ME

Latitude: 44.2 Longitude: -68.3

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